Formula One memory lane

I'm on to Day 6 of my A - Z Writing Challenge - blogging the letters of the alphabet until the alphabet runs out. Math has never been my strong suit, but by my calculations, that will be around 26 days. 'F' is Formula One - that's the coolest sport in the world, not the hotel chain.

F1 first came to my attention in April 1994, when images of the death of three-time world champion, Ayrton Senna, were all over the news. Senna was killed after a 300 km/h smash into a wall on the straight at the San Marino F1 Grand Prix. I was shocked by the sickening impact, but I watching the next race because I was fascinated by these road rockets shooting around the track. It wasn't long until I was hooked on the thrilling, dangerous, exciting sport of F1, learning about the drivers, the teams and the complicated intricacies of downforce from the commentator Murray Walker. Walker was an entertaining commentator, full of fantastic 'murrayisms', and his love of F1 had me convinced in no time that the sport was as safe as houses.

I travelled to England in 1995 on a working holiday visa, and it was only a matter of time before I attended an F1 race. My favourite team was McLaren, with it's then red and white livery, and I saw one up close when I attended the Monaco Grand Prix that year. The colour, the fans, the screaming engines, the wonderful people on my tour and the beautiful mediterranean weather made this an experience I will never forget. It was the first of many races I would attend over the next few years.

I relocated to Oxford from London, keen to mix with the locals and live in the gorgeous English countryside. By chance, I met the Tour Manager for the TWR Volvo British Touring Car Team in a pub in town. He got me a job in TWR's PR area - a job I probably wouldn't have landed if I wasn't young, blonde and Aussie. I ended up travelling with the team for a year and a half around the countryside, and worked on occasions for their sister team, the TWR F1 team. I thought it was the best job in the world, but I had to leave as my visa was to expire - rather dramatically, but that's a story for another time.